How to Fix Southern Miss Athletics

I've written and said most of the things I'm going to say here many times. None of the things I've suggested ever seem to get seriously considered by the people who would have to implement them, though. So I'm sticking this at the top of the board, on the off chance that someone at USM who actually gives a damn about the fans will see it.

In short, we need to go back to doing the things that made us a modest success at one point. We're not a big SEC-type school that makes its name and its money playing conference opponents at home, and we never will be.

First, I have no desire to see us play another home game (whether in person or on TV) until a whole lot of issues get addressed. That embarrassing spectacle we watched yesterday did absolutely nothing for this program, and the prospect of five more home games against obscure teams turns my stomach.

When I first started following USM football, we played four home games per year. The team lived on the road, playing at big, sold-out stadiums to pay the bills. This enabled us to survive in an otherwise-hostile financial environment. And clearly there's no demand for a bunch of home games, if there were really 14,000 empty seats for a home opener against an SEC opponent, coming off a bowl win. Ingredient one in my recipe is to return to a schedule heavy with road games at SEC stadiums, and reinvest the money thus earned back into athletics.

Second, get us out of C-USA. Our fans have almost universally hated that league from day one. Going independent will get our name on the tip of every college sports pundit's tongue. It will make a statement about where we see ourselves in the college football landscape. Will it make our AD's job more difficult? Absolutely. Richard Giannini and his successors have presumably liked C-USA because it gives them a bunch of ready-made home games. No need to beat the bushes looking for teams that will come to Hattiesburg. Well, see #1 above.

As for the bowl game thing, I'm sick of them anyway. Most of them end up pitting us against another "Group of 5" school anyway, which is pure masturbation.

Third, increase student fees. The students (mostly) aren't blind. They can see our facilities are outdated and crumbling. It's admirable that we don't leach off our students to the extent that a lot of schools do, but it's past time for an adjustment. If it takes legislation, lobby for it.

Fourth, finish the damned stadium expansion. You thought it was finished, right? Well, my take on it is that an expansion that doesn't change the first digit of the stadium capacity is not really an expansion. Not getting to 40,000 from the get-go was a ruinous mistake. Beg, borrow, or steal to get us some Erector Set style bleachers, maybe on the roof of the training center, or in front of it. Don't think we'll ever need 40,000 seats? I can't predict the future, but like #2 above, this is about making a statement about our place in the college football landscape. 36,000 is LA Tech territory. 40,000 is on par with some of the smaller ACC schools. Recruits, prospective coaching hires, etc. gauge a program's significance by this number.

Fifth, announce attendance correctly. Yesterday's attendance was poor, but the figure released oversold how bad it was. Maybe you're trying to shame people into attending, but, from what I've seen, you're only demoralizing and alienating them. The attendance figure you release should be "tickets sold, plus people who showed up but didn't need a ticket." I feel certain most schools do it that way.

Sixth, play more SWAC schools at home. They bring fans. They have entertaining bands and dance teams. I'd much rather watch us play Jackson State than anyone in C-USA. I bet we could draw 40,000 against Jackson State if we priced and marketed tickets appropriately.

Seventh, fix Reed Green Coliseum. Increased fees will help with that, but so would a targeted fundraising campaign. No one's ever asked me to donate to a Coliseum upgrade campaign. It's a real head-scratcher that such a campaign doesn't exist.

Finally, target your marketing better. The marketing is all "C-USA this" and "C-USA that": bumper stickers for games against Tulane, tearing down the goal posts after a victory against (LOL) the Houston Cougars, Tech as a "rivalry"- you're insulting our intelligence with this stuff. You know we don't care about it. Stop trying to make us care. We. Do. Not.

I could throw a few more things in there, but they'd be pipe dreams, things like selling beer at football games, or getting the coaches' salaries back to where they were when Fedora was here.

I'll close with this: if you're working for the USM athletic department, you may think you're doing a good job. We've been to a couple of bowl games, we've got some good home games lined up, the Hopson hire was a good, cheap one. You've managed the Tyndall fallout pretty well, too.

Bravo, but it's not enough. You're just checking boxes on a very minimalist checklist of what has to be done to keep the lights on at a college athletic department. Yesterday's public embarrassment- not just the loss, but the grimy, empty stadium- should be the wake-up call you needed.

Re: How to Fix Southern Miss Athletics

IF they did some of the things I suggested, I think things would get better. Don't you?

As for them actually doing these things, well, you've got history on your side of the "pipe dream" discussion.

this should be sent to the AD. nobody here can do anything about any of this. people get on the boards and bitch but they don't bitch to the right person. most on these boards are not season ticket holders or eagle club though so venting on a message board is all they can do. if you send it to the right person/s you will at least get some answer.

sweet....you fixed the other request too.....well done garcon....ctrl+ is no longer a problemo....

Thanks, man. I've never felt like I get the credit I deserved as a programmer, except from the people that actually use my shit. My fellow nerds always find fault with the "how," while they ignore the "what."

Re: How to Fix Southern Miss Athletics

sweet....you fixed the other request too.....well done garcon....ctrl+ is no longer a problemo....

Thanks, man. I've never felt like I get the credit I deserved as a programmer, except from the people that actually use my shit. My fellow nerds always find fault with the "how," while they ignore the "what."

I pay attention to more than sum think....

....would rep ya if'n I could

I know I'm a tough read....if only sum would be more patient.....

all I attempt to offer is via gratis.....it's all that matters in my world.....the USD is for other's druthers....

sweet....you fixed the other request too.....well done garcon....ctrl+ is no longer a problemo....

I think that making links in posts open in a new tab fixed the Ctrl+ / Ctrl- thing automatically. Good job requesting that I kill two birds with one stone. Kind of like introducing me to a rich single woman.

Re: How to Fix Southern Miss Athletics

sweet....you fixed the other request too.....well done garcon....ctrl+ is no longer a problemo....

I think that making links in posts open in a new tab fixed the Ctrl+ / Ctrl- thing automatically. Good job requesting that I kill two birds with one stone. Kind of like introducing me to a rich single woman.

Re: How to Fix Southern Miss Athletics

sweet....you fixed the other request too.....well done garcon....ctrl+ is no longer a problemo....

I think that making links in posts open in a new tab fixed the Ctrl+ / Ctrl- thing automatically. Good job requesting that I kill two birds with one stone. Kind of like introducing me to a rich single woman.

Re: How to Fix Southern Miss Athletics

sweet....you fixed the other request too.....well done garcon....ctrl+ is no longer a problemo....

I think that making links in posts open in a new tab fixed the Ctrl+ / Ctrl- thing automatically. Good job requesting that I kill two birds with one stone. Kind of like introducing me to a rich single woman.

I simply say thank you!

now apologize for not giving my friend Andre time to work on His board and being a N_GGER.